Blazers try to carry on baseball tradition

Dubuque County already has a Balltown, but Dyersville could make a case to be the county seat of baseball.

After all, it is a way of life in the community that boasts the fictional home of Ray Kinsella and his cornfield turned ball diamond. The love of baseball has helped build the success at Dyersville Beckman that began before ghost players emerged from the stalks.

The tradition has powered the Blazers to the last two Class 2A state titles with hopes for a third straight championship as the prep baseball season begins this week. Beckman opens with a game against North Scott on Tuesday.

'Dyersville is a baseball town, in general, from an early age and everyone is kind of into it,” Beckman senior Mitch Steger said. 'It happens that a lot of players don't really become starters until their senior year because we have such a strong tradition. We've been good so you've had to wait your turn.”

The dedication and hard work leaves the players hungry to make their opportunity count. It fuels the program's 'next man in” attitude under longtime head coach Tom Jenk Jr.

'We don't rebuild, we reload,” said senior Tony Anstoetter, echoing Blazers' motto. 'We just have to play like that.”

The Blazers have five state titles, including three since 2000 and the first back in 1968. They have also reach the state finals six times, including 2002, 2003 and 2009. The program is third all-time in Iowa with 25 wins in 15 state appearances, posting a 25-10 mark. Jenk has led them to 14 state tournaments, which ranks second all-time. The past does not produce pressure.

'We don't think about it much,” Anstoetter said. 'We just like to think about this season.”

This year's seniors have stepped to the plate without hesitation, awaiting their chance to add the storied history. Jenk said he always depends on the upperclassmen and the season goes as they do. This group provides reason for optimism.

'They're dedicated and put their time into the program the last four years,” Jenk said. 'Things look pretty good. We have pretty good senior leadership, right now.”

Some of the Blazers might carry a bit of a chip on their shoulder, hearing others cast them as underdogs after the loss of talented classes. They accept the challenge of proving people wrong.

'It's fun surprising people from year-to-year, because we lose so many players to graduation,” Steger said. 'Everyone thinks we'll be bad, but we always bounce back.”

This year's team might be a little different from the previous two. As much as Jenk strives to have a balanced program, defense has been its calling card and pitching has been a key recently. Three of the top four pitchers, including all-stater and unbeaten Joey Lehmann, graduated. Zac Lyon, who is returning from off-season brain surgery after being diagnosed with Chiari Malformation 1, is the top thrower from last season, posting an 8-1 record with a 2.14 earned-run average. Offense will have to pick up the slack until the Blazers can develop some depth on the mound.

'I think we're a better hitting team so far,” said Steger, who batted .311 and led all returners with 37 hits last year. 'I guess if we can get fundamentally sound on defense again and focus on our pitching, that's normally what carries us.”

And, it could be what helps them carry on Dyersville's baseball tradition.

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